Candlelit Supper in the City: Meghan and Al

I have a serious soft-spot for weddings that feel more like a dinner party with old friends than some kind of fancy extravaganza. And today's real wedding looks exactly that. Meghan & Al celebrated their big day with a stylish, cosy, informal city wedding in Dublin. Meeting for a sweet first look, they had their portraits in the Botanic Gardens, before heading into town for a ceremony and reception at The Drury Buildings that were uniquely them.

Laden down with thoughtful touches for their international guestlist, with great food, cool decor, fun favours and eh, a rugby match, get lots of ideas for your own intimate wedding from Meghan & Al's candlelit Dublin gathering, with gorgeous photography by Mairead of Remain in Light.

American bride Meghan, who’s originally from Maryland, treated herself to a trip to London and Dublin after her graduation, and a friend advised she get in touch will Al, who kindly showed her the sights of the Irish capital. “He took me to Collins’ Barracks, IMMA and for a drink in the Porterhouse Temple Bar before taking me to the Sugar Club Burlesque a few nights later. It is because Al’s influence at the Sugar Club that night that I can no longer consume Long Island Iced Teas.”

Good man, Al - the perfect Dublin tour guide!

Meghan's engagement ring is a family heirloom from 1952.

By the end of the trip, Meghan had decided to move to Ireland, and stayed in constant contact with Al while she waited for her paperwork, “We became close and fast friends. I finally made the jump in November of that year and the day I landed in, Al was there to meet me. Friendship became a relationship which became a partnership and a member of each other’s teams, and here we all are.”

What a sweet love story!

These two had a cool, modern, proposal-free engagement, “We had talked about getting married for months before we officially announced our engagement. However, the decision was finally made in Kerry on a rainy August day in 2015.”

Meghan's wool cover-up is so beautiful!

I just love how Meghan & Al describe the vibe of their wedding, “An intimate dinner party with a touch of luxe; comfortable and informal with natural, seasonal, personal and simple elegance.”

The couple had guests coming in from London and throughout the US so it was their highest priority that everyone felt welcome and had an enjoyable and relaxing time.

“Neither one of us enjoy being the centre of attention so we wanted it to be about taking our guests out for a night on the town. We both felt uncomfortable inviting people to spend and give up so much time and money to make the journey and we wanted to ensure their enjoyment and happiness. We promised our guests that a drink would be put in their hands the moment they arrived and everything after that would be taken care of.”

What great hosts!

The couple say they were most nervous about the photography, but the brilliant Mairead from Remain in Light was one of the best decisions they made in their wedding planning, along with Ciara and Aidan who looked after Meghan’s hair and make-up.

The couple had both their ceremony and their reception at The Drury Buildings, and said they chose the restaurant wedding venue because it offered the full package they were looking for, “Location, food and atmosphere! We love entertaining people and we love the city of Dublin. The Drury Buildings provided that, plus amazing food and a table full of glasses that somehow never emptied no matter how many sips were taken from them.”

Meghan & Al planned a humanist ceremony and say their officiant, Lucie O’Sullivan gave them lots of advice and guidance, “She made the ceremony truly personal and representative of our own lives, outlook and intentions. She even added a touch of humour which we loved.”

The couple have a very special story behind their wedding rings, which were designed and handmade from an ounce of gold given to Al by his uncle when he was born, “The two of us spent a weekend hammering, filing, forming and polishing the rings we wear today. Not only was this cost effective, but it was an excellent opportunity to learn a new skill together and spend a few days with our friends Laura and Clare who kindly instructed us and allowed us to use their studio and materials.” How cool is that!

Al’s uncle, who had gifted him the gold for their rings sadly passed away three years before the couple’s wedding, so it was an even more special sentiment to include in their day, “During the ring warming ceremony, we made it a point to mention his name along with a list of other family and friends who were unable to join us, but were nevertheless in our thoughts that day.”

During the ceremony, the rings were passed around the room from one guest to another in what Meghan & Al told us is called a ‘ring warming’. “Each guest was invited to hold the rings for a short moment and reflect on us and the relationships in their own lives. The ring cushion was a thoughtful gift from our friends at STABLE of Ireland who are well aware of our fondness for Donegal tweed.”

The couple say their ceremony readers were so perfect that the room was filled with both joyous laughter and tearful sniffles. “Al’s father chose to read Scaffolding by Seamus Heaney and Meghan’s best-friend Sarah read a short passage from The Velveteen Rabbit which was Meghan’s favourite childhood book.”

Part of Meghan’s family is Jewish, and she tells us that the symbols and rituals of a traditional Jewish wedding left a huge impression on her, “One ritual in particular was the breaking of the glass at the end of the ceremony, wherein the groom crushes a piece of glass underfoot to symbolise the permanence of the vows and the change that has occurred in the couple’s lives (life and love is fragile and what is done, cannot be undone). At the end of the ceremony, a piece of glass wrapped in Irish linen was placed on the floor and POW!”

The couple had nothing but praise for their florist Mark Grehan from The Garden, “We liked his style, recognised his knowledge and skill, and respected his creative freedom. We gave him a short brief and description of the vibe we wanted but encouraged him to experiment and use local and seasonal plants and greenery. It was a perfect fit and the result was stunning. Mark even took the time to get to know us and his work reflected that; he added fallen oak leaves to Meghan’s bouquet after learning that the Maryland state tree was the White (Wye) Oak Tree. We still have it because we refuse to throw it away.”

Wow, what attention to detail!

Loads of candles and an abundance of foliage - sometimes the most simple decor is the most effective.

Meghan & Al also made sure every last detail of their day had a personal touch, “Everything happened because it was a part of us, our histories, our relationship and our intentions.”

Meghan & Al say their best advice is to work with vendors who you trust, and who are great at what they do, “If you hire experienced and talented professionals, you’ll feel less inclined to take control of every detail and decision. Instead, you’ll be able to encourage good work, creativity and teamwork between yourself and your other suppliers and you’ll end up with a day that is truly unique. Weddings, big and small, are HARD WORK, think of yourself as a member/leader of a team you’ve assembled. Ask for help when you need it and give concise and direct feedback.” Wise words guys!

And as if you thought this couple couldn’t get any more chilled… The team at the Drury Buildings asked Meghan & Al if they’d like to have a photo slideshow or classic film showing in the background during dinner, “We both looked at each other and asked ‘Can you broadcast RTE2? Can we show the rugby match?’. The answer to both of those questions was yes, and as soon as dinner started, the Ireland v New Zealand All Blacks match began streaming silently on the back wall. It provided a great ice-breaking conversation topic between those familiar with the sport and those who were not.”

The couple took turns handing out wedding favours as coffee was served, the treats included slabs of chocolate topped with spices, nuts, dried fruit and citrus peel. “Our friends at Bean and Goose Chocolate in Wexford made these especially for us. Each slab was handed out with a wooden crab mallet from the Annapolis Seafood Markets in Annapolis, Maryland USA (Meghan’s hometown). These crab hammers are typically used to crack open the hard exterior of a Chesapeake blue crab during a typical mid-Atlantic crab feast, but were repurposed for this one occasion.”

The couple also gifted their guests ‘Hello from Ireland’ Tote bags from Irish Design Shop. (I want one of those!)

Meghan & Al created a Spotify playlist for their wedding rather than opting for a band or DJ.

The couple’s delicious wedding cake was made of French and Irish farmhouse cheeses, “Our friend Kevin Powell from Gruel Guerrilla/Meet Me In The Morning made custom jams, compotes and syrups to accompany, enhance and complement each of the different cheeses. Once the cake was separated and placed alongside fresh crusty bread and biscuits, each wheel was appropriately demolished and enjoyed by all.” My stomach literally just rumbled!

As for their honeymoon, Meghan & Al are still working on it! “It’s been six months and we still haven’t taken a break for ourselves to celebrate. We really need to get on that…”

Doesn't it just look like the most wonderful day. Close friends and family, great food, and fun times - what more could you want! Thanks so much to Meghan & Al for sharing their special day with us, and of course to Mairead of Remain in Light for sharing these beautiful pictures.